Blind

ABSTRACT

A blind in which upper and lower end portions of upright shutter louvers are installed in lazytongs and each shutter louver is moved as the lazytongs mechanism expands and contracts. When the lazytongs mechanism expands to an intermediate state the shutter louvers can be maintained in the half opened condition.

United States Patent Imaizumi 1 Apr. 25, 1972 [54] BLIND 2,822,043 2/1958 Horak ..160/172 2,135,647 11/1938 Streby ..160/172 [72] Inventor. Kaneyoshi Imaizumi, 3-805 Hlral 2,207,393 7/1940 Anderson ammo/172 Java" 2,755,854 7/1956 Mclntire ..160/118 [22] Filed; 3 970 1,302,093 4/1919 Shoemaker ..160/118 1 1 pp 60,293 Primary ExaminerPeter M. Caun Att0rneyl(elman and Herman [52] U.S.Cl ..160/172 7 B TR! [51] Int. Cl. ....E06b 9/36, E06b 9/38 [5 1 A 8 CT [58] Field of Sear h 160/115, 118, 163-178 A blind in which upper and lower end portions of upright shutter louvers are installed in lazytongs and each shutter 56] References Cited louver is moved as the lazytongs mechanism expands and contracts. When the lazytongs mechanism expands to an inter- UNITED STATES PATENTS mediate state the shutter louvers can be maintained in the half opened condition. 1,858,801 5/1932 Bolard ..160/118 Reichel ....l60/ll5 10 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAPRES I912 3, 658,1 12 saw 10F 3 INVENTOR BY Mm PATENTED APR 2 5 I972 SHEET 2 OF 3 INVENI OR BY MO/ @LkW /V,

PATENTEBAFR 2 5 1972 SHEET 3 OF 3 INVENTOR K myoshl Lao/2. m/

W4 MOI/ Ki/mm/V BLIND The present invention relates to blinds serving also as storm doors which are installed in window frames.

In general, the storm doors must be stored in a shutter box when not used and it is troublesome to open and close the storm doors. Also, the shutter box provided for the storm doors results in more complicated structure of the house and the construction of the house becomes expensive.

It is an object of the present invention to provide blinds which are constructed by a novel folding construction in lieu of the conventional storm doors as described hereinabove.

Another object of the present invention is to provide blinds which are so constructed that the opening and closing of the blinds can be carried out with hands and the blinds are devised so as to be operated by a child with extreme ease.

A further object of the present invention resides in that the opening and closing of the blinds can be simply carried out by a motor with a pressing operation of a push button switch and the like.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide blinds whose easy opening and closing are not only controlled by locking the each shutter louver which forms the blind in the half opened condition but also the open air can be introduced to the indoor through gaps of the respective louvers, and the screening effect that outsiders cannot look into the inside of the house can be exhibited.

The objects of the present invention have been described so far but, in the present invention, in order to achieve the respective objects, first of all, a plurality of shutter louvers that will form the blind are prepared, and both right and left side edges of the respective shutter louvers are bent nearly in acute angle toward the opposite directions to form fitting edges.

The upper ends of the shutter louvers are installed in the lazytongs mechanism having a guide roller at its one side and also lower ends of the shutter louvers are installed in the lazytongs mechanism having a guide rod at its one side similar to the above-mentioned lazytongs mechanism and the respective shutter louvers are connected to the lazytongs mechanisms. Accordingly, the respective shutter louvers carry out the opening and closing motions through the rotation according to the expansion and contraction of the lazytongs mechanisms installed in their upper and lower portions and the fitting edges of the adjacent shutter louvers are arranged to engage with each other at the time of maximum expansion of the lazytongs.

Now, two sets of the louver door device consisting of the shutter louvers and lazytongs mechanisms are prepared, and said louver door devices are installed in the right side and left side of the window frame in which they are installed so that they are disposed in opposition to each other, but the installation is conducted in such a way that the frames consisting of channel materials are installed in the upper and lower portions of the window frame in the first place so that the their opening portions face on the inside and thereafter the guide rollers and guide rods of the louver door device are shiftably fitted into the respective upper and lower frames, and then suitable portions of the both louver door devices at the window frame side are fixed to the window frame.

Accordingly, the both louver door devices are arranged in such a way that their opening and closing can be carried out with the lazytongs mechanisms being expanded or contracted by pulling the devices lightly with hands, and when the both tip side faces are abutted by extending the both devices to their maximum extent, the perfect screening can obtained. When the both louver door devices are opened and pressed from this condition, the lazytongs mechanisms are folded and accordingly the shutter louvers can be made in overlapped condition whereby the accommodating area for the both devices can be confined to the minimum when they are not used.

In the foregoing case, the description was made relative to the manual operation type blind. but the objects of the present invention extends over the motor'driven blind as described in the foregoing sections. Accordingly, in the present invention, small size electric motors are provided at both sides of the frame and they are made rotatable by the switch mechanism provided indoor through a required electric circuit, and the both right side and left side louver door devices are made openable. Various ways can be considered with respect to the means for transmitting the driving power of the small size motors to the louver door devices, but in the present invention, chains and sprockets are employed as the most representative means among this kind of transmitted mechanism.

That is to say, the transferring power of the chain can be transmitted to the louver door device by stretching the sprockets provided at both sides of the inside of the frame and making the sprocket at one side of the frame as a driving sprocket to be driven by the small size motor to make the chain shiftable, and by fixing a proper location of the chain and a proper location of the guide roller installed on the upper portion of the lazytongs mechanism in the louver door device.

The construction relating to a lock, in the present invention, forms an important element, and in this invention, the both louver door devices in their closed condition can be completely locked by means of this locked in their half opened condition. Moreover, in this invention, auxiliary metal fittings are rotatably installed in the tips of the upper and lower lazytongs mechanisms in one of the louver door device, and auxiliary louvers provided with the lock plates at their tips are installed between the auxiliary metal fittings.

Lock fittings for holding the lock plate are installed between the preceding shutter louver and the succeeding shutter louver to be connected to said shutter louver in the other louver door device and therefore the louver door device can be completely locked in its closed condition and half opened condition by means of the lock plates and two pieces of the lock fittings.

That is to say, in order to make the both louver door devices in completely closed condition, they are closed so that the tips of the both devices are fitted and thereafter the lock plate of the auxiliary louver can be engaged with the lock fitting of the succeeding shutter louver, and also in order to lock the both louver door devices in the half opened condition, the lock plate may be engaged with the lock fitting installed in the tip side shutter louver, and accordingly in this case, the both louver door devices can be set to the half opened condition by the width of the auxiliary louver. This means that the lazytongs mechanism in the louver door device is not in completely extended condition, and thus the respective shutter louvers are disposed aslant with provision of a certain gap from which the open air can be introduced into the indoor, and at the same time, the obliquenly disposed shutter louvers produce a screening for the window whereby the shutter louvers of this construction can exhibit the screening effect.

The present invention will be better understood by reference to the following preferred embodiments of the present invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the drawings, like parts are designated by like reference numerals.

In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is perspective view of the present blind or closure in the closed condition as installed in a window opening,

FIG. 2 is a sectional plan view of the blind with the shutter louvers open,

FIG. 3 is an elevational and partly sectional view of the blind with the shutter louvers closed,

FIG. 4 is a side elevational, fragmentary section of the blind showing the relationship of the frame, guide roller and guide rod,

FIGS. 5 and 6 are cross sectional, fragmentary plan views of the blind in respective different operating positions,

FIG. 7 is a perspective fragmentary view showing the shutter louvers in the half opened condition, and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the lock.

In the drawings, reference numerals l and 2 are fitting edges formed by bending the edge portions of both sides of the shutter louver 3, and a required number of the shutter louvers having the above construction are connected by means of two sets of bar members constituting respective lazytongs 6, 7, and each louver 3 is provided with a guide roller 4 at its upper end and a guide rod 5, at its lower end. The shutter louvers are caused to carry out opening and closing motions as the lazytongs expands and contracts. In the condition where the shutter louvers are closed by expanding the lazytongs, the fitting edges 1, 2 of the adjacent shutter louvers 3, 3 are constructed so as to interengage as shown in FIG. 5, and two pieces of louver door devices A, B consisting of the shutter louvers and lazytongs fitted slidably and bysymmetrically into frames 8, 9 made of channel material which are installed in the window frame of a required house 19 as shown in FIG. 1 by utilizing the guide roller 4 and guide rod 5 installed in the lazytongs 6, 7 at the upper and lower end portions of the louver.

The respective louver door devices A, B can be freely slided as well as opened and closed by hand with this construction but this opening and closing motion can be carried out by motor driving. In this case, separate opening and closing can be carried out by the driving of the electrically-driven mechanisms 20, 20 having the construction to be described hereinafter which are provided at both side of the frame 8 of the respective louver door devices.

In the present invention, the respective lazytongs 6, 7 of one of the louver door devices are provided rotatably with auxiliary fittings 10, 10' and an auxiliary louver 11 whose shape is similar to that of the shutter louver is pivotally connected by the fitting to the louvers 3 nearest the corresponding louver 3 associated with the other lazytongs.

At the edge of the auxiliary louver 11, a lock plate 12 carrying a bar 17 is rotatably fitted, and the nearest shutter louver 3 of the. other louver door device B carries a stop fitting 13 provided with a key element 16 to be engaged with a hook hole of thelock plate 12 and the succeeding shutter louver 3 of the device B carries a stop fitting 14 formed with a bore 18 which may be engaged by the bar 17 of the lock plate 12.

Reference numerals 21, 21 denote respectively small size motors constituting the electrically-driven mechanisms 20, and reference numerals 22, 22' are speed reducers, 23, 23 are driving pinions, 24, 24' are driving sprockets which are rotated by engaging with the pinions, 25, 25' are interlocking sprockets which are installed at nearly central position of the frame 8, and endless chains 26, 26' are stretched between the both sprockets 24, 25 and 24, 25', and adapted to be rotatable by the driving of the motors 21, 21 and therefore each of these members are employed in making the present blind in electrically-driven type as described hereinabove.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the condition in which the present blind employs the electrically-driven type is illustrated, and in FIG. 3, reference numerals 27, 27' are stationary fittings and as shown in the drawing, proper locations of the both chains 26, 26 are fixed to the installing members 4, 4' for installing the guide rollers 4, 4 at the both tip sides of the louver door devices so that the opening and closing of the both louver devices A, B can be carried out by the rotations of the both chains 26, 26', while not showing, the actuation and stop of the both motors 21, 21' take place separately by pressing the respective switches on a switch panel which are assembled in one location. Reference numerals 28, 28 as shown in FIG. 3 are limit switches for shutdown of the motors, which are adapted to stop the rotation of the motor automatically when the both louver door devices A, B are fully opened. Reference numeral 29 denotes a rotary shaft of an interlocking sprocket. While not showing, as a matter of course, a limit switch for automatically stopping the rotation of the motors 21, 21 may be provided in the vicinity of nearly the center of the frame 8 even if the both louver door devices A, B are in totally screened condition.

As an interlocking mechanism for effecting the opening and closing of the louver door devices A, B, the sprockets and chains are employed, but it is a matter of course that the same effect can be obtained if the V-shaped sheave and rope were employed.

The blind of the present invention has the foregoing construction, and therefore it is natural to effect the opening and closing freely by hand but even if the electrically-driven system is employed, the both louver door devices A, B are caused to operate by the actuation of the both motors 21, 21 to carry out the opening and closing automatically and freely. Also, in the present invention, there is provided a lock consisting of a lock plate 12 on the auxiliary louver ll of the door device A and two stop fittings l3, 14 respectively installed on two adjacent louvers of the other louver door device B. The lock plate 12 is engaged with the stop fitting 14 to close the shutter louver completely (refer FIG. 5 for the condition of the lazytongs at this time), and also, the lock plate 12 is engaged with the stop fitting 13 to fix the blind in the half opened condition (refer to FIG. 6 for the condition of the lazytongs at this time). In hot season, summer time, the open air can be introduced to the indoor through the gaps of the shutter louvers in the half opened condition, and as the gaps are formed in the oblique direction along the inclined angle of the shutter louver 3 as shown in FIG. 6, there is no chance for the outsiders to look into the indoor.

The'engaging means of the louver door device consisting of the guide roller 4 and guide rod 5 is installed in the lazytongs by being slided to the one side (one side of the fitting edge) and when the blind is opened, the resulting erection of the shutter louver occurs in the side of the fitting edge 2 and therefore the present device can be installed close to the window and the like whereby the necessity of shutterbox or the similar unit can be eliminated.

Furthermore, the auxiliary louver 11 is installed in the auxiliary fittings 10, 10 which are connected to the lazytongs in the same manner with the other shutter louver, and there is no chance of losing the configurative balance of the blind by the installation of auxiliary louver 11 which produces beautiful appearance as well as the perfect screening effect with the fitting of the fitting edges 1, 2 at the time of screening of the window, whereby the peeping can be prevented.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing disclosure relates to only preferred embodiments of the invention and that it is intended to cover all changes and modifications of the examples of the invention herein chosen for the purposes of the disclosure, which does not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the ap pended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A closure for an opening in a building 19, the opening having two opposite sides, the closure comprising:

a. two sets of bar members 6,

l. the members of each set being pivotally connected to each other and constituting lazytongs movable between a contracted first position and an expanded second position;

b. guide means 4, 8 for guiding said sets along one of said opposite sides between said first and second positions,

1. respective terminal members of said sets being closely adjacent to each other in said second positions of both sets and remote from each other in said first positions of both sets;

0. a plurality of elongated first louver members 3 associated with one of said sets;

d. a plurality of elongated second louver members 3 associated with the other set, v

l. respective longitudinal end portions of said louver members being fastened to respective bar members of the associated sets for movement therewith along said one side and for joint pivotal movement,

2. respective longitudinal edge portions 1, 2 of said louver members being interengaged in the second position of the associated set, whereby said louver members constitute a screen,

3. the central portions of said louver members intermediate said edge portions being closely juxtaposed in the first position of the associated set,

thereby alternatively holding at least one set in a position intermediate said first and second positions, and holding both sets in said second positions thereof.

2. A closure as set forth in claim 1, further comprising additional guide means 5,7,9 for guiding respective other longitudinal end portions of said louver members along the other opposite side of said opening.

3. A closure as set forth in claim 2, wherein said additional guide means include two additional sets of pivotally connected bar members constituting respective additional lazytongs, said other longitudinal end portions being fastened to respective bar members of said additional sets.

4. A closure as set forth in claim 3, wherein one of said guide means includes a channel member adapted to extend along one of said opposite sides, and roller members mounted on said first and second louver members and engaging said channel member.

5. A closure as set forth in claim 4, wherein one of said guide means includes a channel member adapted to extend along one of said opposite sides, and guide pins mounted on said first and second louver members and engaging said channel member.

6. A closure as set forth in claim 1, wherein said edge portions are angularly offset from said central portions.

7. A closure as set forth in claim 1, further comprising electrically operated drive means for moving said lazytongs between said positions thereof.

8. A closure as set forth in claim 1, wherein said louver members are elongated in a common direction, and said locking means include an auxiliary louver member secured to said one first louver member for pivotal movement about an axis extending in said common direction, and cooperating locking members on said auxiliary louver member, said corresponding second louver member, and said other second louver member.

9. A closure as set forth in claim 8, wherein said first, second, and auxiliary louver members are closely similar in size and shape.

10. A closure as set forth in claim 9, wherein said locking members include a first locking member pivotally mounted on said auxiliary louver member and respective second and third locking members on said corresponding and other second louver members respectively, said second and third locking members being each shaped for conforming engagement with said first locking member. 

1. A closure for an opening in a building 19, the opening having two opposite sides, the closure comprising: a. two sets of bar members 6,
 1. the members of each set being pivotally connected to each other and constituting lazytongs movable between a contracted first position and an expanded second position; b. guide means 4, 8 for guiding said sets along one of said opposite sides between said first and second positions,
 1. respective terminal members of said sets being closely adjacent to each other in said second positions of both sets and remote from each other in said first positions of both sets; c. a plurality of elongated first louver members 3 associated with one of said sets; d. a plurality of elongated second louver members 3 associated with the other set,
 1. respective longitudinal end portions of said louver members being fastened to respective bar members of the associated sets for movement therewith along said one side and for joint pivotal movement,
 2. respective longitudinal edge portions 1, 2 of said louver members being interengaged in the second position of the associated set, whereby said louver members constitute a screen,
 3. the central portions of said louver members intermediate said edge portions being closely juxtaposed in the first position of the associated set,
 4. one of said first louver members and a corresponding one of said second louver members being fixedly fastened to said terminal members of said sets respectively; and e. locking means 10-18 for alternatively locking said one first louver member to said corresponding second louver member and to another second louver member adjacent said corresponding second louver member, and for thereby alternatively holding at least one set in a position intermediate said first and second positions, and holding both sets in said second positions thereof.
 2. respective longitudinal edge portions 1, 2 of said louver members being interengaged in the second position of the associated set, whereby said louver members constitute a screen,
 2. A closure as set forth in claim 1, further comprising additional guide means 5,7,9 for guiding respective other longitudinal end portions of said louver members along the other opposite side of said opening.
 3. A closure as set forth in claim 2, wherein said additional guide means include two additional sets of pivotally connected bar members constituting respective additional lazytongs, said other longitudinal end portions being fastened to respective bar members of said additional sets.
 3. the central portions of said louver members intermediate said edge portions being closely juxtaposed in the first position of the associated set,
 4. one of said first louver members and a corresponding one of said second louver members being fixedly fastened to said terminal members of said sets respectively; and e. locking means 10-18 for alternatively locking said one first louver member to said corresponding second louver member and to another second louver member adjacent said corresponding second louver member, and for thereby alternatively holding at least one set in a position intermediate said first and second positions, and holding both sets in said second positions thereof.
 4. A closure as set forth in claim 3, wherein one of said guide means includes a channel member adapted to extend along one of said opposite sides, and roller members mounted on said first and second louver members and engaging said channel member.
 5. A closure as set forth in claim 4, wherein one of said guide means includes a channel member adapted to extend along one of said opposite sides, and guide pins mounted on said first and second louver members and engaging said channel member.
 6. A closure as set forth in claim 1, wherein said edge portions are angularly offset from said central portions.
 7. A closure as set forth in claim 1, further comprising electrically operated drive means for moving said lazytongs between said positions thereof.
 8. A closure as set forth in claim 1, wherein said louver members are elongated in a common direction, and said locking means include an auxiliary louver member secured to said one first louver member for pivotal movement about an axis extending in said common direction, and cooperating locking members on said auxiliary louver member, said corresponding second louver member, and said other second louver member.
 9. A closure as set forth in claim 8, wherein said first, second, and auxiliary louver mEmbers are closely similar in size and shape.
 10. A closure as set forth in claim 9, wherein said locking members include a first locking member pivotally mounted on said auxiliary louver member and respective second and third locking members on said corresponding and other second louver members respectively, said second and third locking members being each shaped for conforming engagement with said first locking member. 